It is known that pipe structures expand and contract under pressure, temperature and load variations. Thus, within an aircraft it will be appreciated that pipe lengths may vary considerably during flight and as the environmental temperature changes. If nothing is done to compensate these pipe length variations, the pipes would bow and create reaction loads that may even rupture mountings and/or the aircraft skin.
Conventionally, these pipe expansion problems have been solved by incorporating kinks and bends in the pipe to compensate, for the expansion. However, in certain areas of an aircraft it is difficult to accommodate such kinks or bends due to space limitations. In these areas slide bearings are especially useful.
Typically a previous slide bearing has comprised an annular member through which the pipe passes with s packing material such as wire wool arranged to locate the pipe in the annular member. However, such assemblies are difficult to install and have a low reliability.
A slide bearing has also been proposed for a steam pipe in which the bearing comprises displaceable pad assemblies which define an accommodation for the pipe but bear on the pipe through point contacts only of spring-loaded balls.
It is an object of this invention to provide a slide bearing that substantially relives the above mentioned problems.
It is an object of this invention to provide a slide bearing for a pipe that can accommodate longitudinal expansion of the pipe together with radial and/or annular movement of the pipe.